Longitudinal effects of bilingualism on dual-tasking

PLoS One. 2017 Dec 27;12(12):e0189299. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0189299. eCollection 2017.

Abstract

An ongoing debate surrounds whether bilinguals outperform monolinguals in tests of executive processing. The aim of this study was to investigate if there are long-term (10 year) bilingual advantages in executive processing, as indexed by dual-task performance, in a sample that were 40-65 years at baseline. The bilingual (n = 24) and monolingual (n = 24) participants were matched on age, sex, education, fluid intelligence, and study sample. Participants performed free-recall for a 12-item list in three dual-task settings wherein they sorted cards either during encoding, retrieval, or during both encoding and retrieval of the word-list. Free recall without card sorting was used as a reference to compute dual-task costs. The results showed that bilinguals significantly outperformed monolinguals when they performed card-sorting during both encoding and retrieval of the word-list, the condition that presumably placed the highest demands on executive functioning. However, dual-task costs increased over time for bilinguals relative to monolinguals, a finding that is possibly influenced by retirement age and limited use of second language in the bilingual group.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Executive Function
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Multilingualism*
  • Surveys and Questionnaires
  • Task Performance and Analysis*

Grants and funding

The Betula Study was supported by the Bank of Sweden Tercentenary Foundation [grant number 1988-0082:17; J2001-0682]; Swedish Council for Planning and Coordination of Research [grant numbers D1988-0092, D1989-0115, D1990-0074, D1991-0258, D1992-0143, D1997-0756, D1997-1841,D1999-0739, B1999-474]; Swedish Council for Research in the Humanities and Social Sciences [grant number F377/1988-2000]; the Swedish Council for Social Research [grant numbers 1988-1990: 88-0082, 311/1991-2000]; and the Swedish Research Council [grant numbers 345-2003-3883, 315-2004-6977]). Jessica K. Ljungberg is supported by the Swedish Research Council [grant number 421-2011-1782], and the Swedish Council for Working Life and Social Research [grant number 2211-0505], and both Daniel Eriksson Sörman and Jessica K. Ljungberg is supported by the Knut and Alice Wallenberg foundation [grant number KAW 2014.0205].